"He said that Boullier had had 'a good kick in the ar*e", McEvoy revealed, adding that other staff were also told "they were not working hard enough".

But a McLaren spokesman told us on Wednesday that Dennis' remarks were "reported out of context" and actually intended to be "humorous".

"His (Dennis') rhetoric can sometimes be challenging, but it is always inspirational," the spokesman said.

"Ron massively appreciates the hard work currently being done by all at Woking and Sakura (Japan), and he and Eric, together, are making the structural and operational changes that will take McLaren-Honda back to the front."